Starling Marte named Eastern League Player of the Week

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Altoona Curve outfielder Starling Marte was named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week ending August 14th, the Eastern League office announced earlier today. It is the first career Player of the Week award for Marte and it’s the third time this season a Curve player has been selected as a Player or Pitcher of the Week.

Marte, 22, batted .556 (15-for-27) during the week with four doubles, one triple, one home run, two RBI and 10 runs scored during the week. His stellar performance during the week shot his average up from .312 to its current spot at .327, which now actively leads the Eastern League ahead of New Hampshire’s Travis d’Arnaud. The Santo Domingo, D.R. also leads the league in hits (146), is fourth in doubles (32), second in runs scored (72) and second in total bases (220).

The awards adds to an already standout season for the fourth-best prospect in the organization heading into 2011 according to Baseball America. Marte was named an Eastern League All-Star in his first season in the league and was also selected to play in the XM Futures Game during this year’s All-Star Week festivities in Phoenix, Ariz.

He’s played in 108 games this year, surpassing his previous season-high of 68 in 2010 with Bradenton and the GCL Pirates. His 32 doubles, six triples and 10 home runs are all new career highs for the 22-year-old Marte. His 44 runs driven in tie a career high, which he set back in 2008 with the DSL Pirates.

Marte joins Jordy Mercer and Aaron Thompson as the Curve members to earn a weekly award in 2011. This week’s E.L. Pitcher of the Week was Harrisburg’s Erik Arnesen.

Trade Buzz: Thursday’s 1-for-1 trade of young underperforming players saw the Minnesota Wild acquire center Victor Rask from the Carolina Hurricanes for left winger Nino Niederreiter. Carolina did an excellent job of being able to get out of the Rask contract, who has three years remaining with a $4 million cap hit. Rask has 1 goal, 5 assists on the season, mirrored in a 22-game goal drought. The logic here for Minnesota is taking the chance on a playmaking center who can help fill a top-9 spot longer term if the Wild move on from Eric Staal. Minnesota is also playing the card that a change of scenery will benefit the 24-year old who posted a career-high 21 goals, 48 points in 2015-2016.

Niederreiter’s trade value was stunted because of his contract, where he has three years left on his deal with a $5.25 million cap hit. Niederreiter is a player who is extremely hard to play against, drives possession well, and has three 20 goal seasons over his last four full seasons. Injuries (18 goals in 63 games) kept him from a 4th straight 20-goal season in 17-18. The Niederreiter acquisition also sets up as great insurance for the Hurricanes if they can’t resign Micheal Ferland. In the short-term, Carolina’s center situation is a mess with Jordan Staal sidelined with a concussion, but they’re getting the better player who fits the identity they’re trying to establish upfront, especially on the wings where they’ve identified the need for Patric Hornqvist type players.